ARES E-Letter Issues

ARES E-Letter for October 15, 2007

The ARES E-Letter
October 17, 2007
=================
Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor
<http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>,
===================================
ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or
comments: <k1ce@arrl.net&gt;;;
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+ The View from Flagler County
New to ARES, EmComms, and the ARES E-Letter?
We provide emergency communications because it is exciting,
adventurous, and serves the public. We work side by side with
disaster relief officials from the Red Cross, Salvation Army,
government emergency management and other entities, supplementing
their communications of potentially life and property saving
messages. "EmComm" is a longstanding function of Amateur Radio over
decades, and is what hams are most famous for. There is the thrill
and the deep camaraderie that results from working with our
colleagues in what sometimes are desperate circumstances.
How to get started: Go to <http://www.arrl.org/ares> and get basic
information and a contact person for ARES, the preeminent amateur
emcomm program. Although ARES is a national program, it is
coordinated at the local and county levels by appointed Emergency
Coordinators (EC). Contact your local EC. A simple 2-meter H-T is all
you need to start your participation. ARES brings you the benefits of
being part of an established team, formal training, recognition,
skill enhancement, and real opportunity to provide emergency
communications when it hits the fan.
____________
In This Issue:
+ The View from Flagler County
+ ARES Supports Minnesota Air Show
+ New EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, Speaks at Great Lakes
Division Convention
+ Most Original SET Scenario
+ LETTERS: ICS 213
+ LETTERS: Reports in the E-Letter
+ LETTERS: SATERN in Southwest Missouri
+ Current ARES-Recommended Training Courses
+ QUICK LINKS: Essential Web sites for Every EmComm Op
+ K1CE For a Final
__________________________________
+ ARES Supports Minnesota Air Show
Worthington, Minnesota -- The Minnesota District 5 ARES team provided
communications for the Worthington Air Show in Nobles County,
Minnesota on September 8. Nobles, Murray, Cottonwood, and Lyon county
operators provided emergency communications and perimeter security
around the airport.
The ARES members reported to the ARES Nobles-Jackson counties
Emergency Coordinator Kevin Hlavac, KC0FOT, who worked under the
direction of Nobles County Emergency Management Director and
Minnesota ARES District 5 Emergency Coordinator Dan Anderson, KD0ASX,
who was the Operations Section Chief for the event. Anderson worked
under the direction of the Worthington Squadron of the Civil Air
Patrol and Squadron Commander Mark McCormick, KA0PEB, who was
Incident Commander for the event.
The air show implemented an event action plan utilizing the Incident
Command System (ICS) developed by FEMA. This plan included operations
and communications procedures for the air show from the start to
finish and provided contingencies for any emergencies. This was the
first operation for the new ARES teams in southwest Minnesota and it
was a huge success. It showed how ARES can provide assistance with
communications and bring others together from neighboring counties to
work as a regional ARES team. The FAA, present at the air show,
commented positively on the use of the Incident Command System to run
the air show operations and communications.
+ New EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, Speaks at Great Lakes
Division Convention
On September 22, the ARRL's new Emergency Preparedness & Response
Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, spoke at the Great Lakes Division
Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. The following summary of Dura's
remarks is based on the notes of attendee Walt Heeney, N8LJM.
Dura announced that the Statement of Understanding with the American
Red Cross is currently in negotiation, with staff members from ARRL
and ARC having already met once for discussion. A major issue is the
Red Cross background check requirement. The ARC has said it values
ARES contributions, and ARRL certainly wants to continue to support
the ARC. The Red Cross has suggested that ARRL conduct its own
criminal background checks, but that is not a mission the League will
take on. Additionally, becoming an ARES memebr does not require
League membership which would complicate this further. ARRL
recognizes background checks are necessities, but feels that only a
criminal check is warranted.
A new ARRL EmComm course on-line will focus on digital modes,
starting about the first of the year.
Turning to the issue of resource typing, Dura said that using the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) NIMS, the ARRL will be defining
types of radio assets needed for emcomm activity. Also to assist the
field, "best practices" utilized by various ARES groups will be
highlighted and applied across the Nation as appropriate. There is no
reason he said, to reinvent the wheel.
Dura explained the difference between "IDs" and "Credentials": IDs
show who you are, while credentials provide your capabilities,
training, education and authorizations. Emergency response agencies
are looking for both. Ultimately, IDs will include credentials, which
will determine who can serve where in and around the disaster area.
Integration of various emcomm entities is a goal. Mutual aid will
improve with closer ties among ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, and with
counties, states and other levels of emergency management, Dura said.
DHS has formed a new unit devoted to emcomm functions. This unit
should be stood up with staffing before the end of the year according
to sources.
Watch for more spontaneous ARES drills. Dura activated one over the
Labor Day weekend to test responses. There will be more top down
spontaneous drills to test readiness and participation.
The staff at ARRL is considering moving the dates of the venerable
Simulated Emergency Test (SET) with the likelihood of having
regional, and potentially national SETS. These regional SETS will be
based upon the hazards and risks inherent to the locale.
For his presentation, Dura was wearing a Blackberry (telephone,
e-mail, SMS, IM) and a Skytel 2 way pager, and a H-T. He said that
ARES members should not rely on ham radio alone to maintain a
heightened level of situational awareness. Emergency communicators
must be able to use multiple tools so they can use what works best at
a particular scene.
Dura's final comment was that the days are almost over when ARES will
accept volunteers who say "call me if you need me," but fail to be
trained, attend meetings and participate in drills. [Thanks to Walt
Heeney, N8LJM, for this report]
+ Most Original SET Scenario
The Seminole County (Florida) Simulated Emergency Test (SET) Net was
activated at 0800 EDT October 6, for this scenario: "Strange events
have taken place over the last several days. What was first reported
as a meteorite impact in eastern Seminole County has now turned into
a reported U.F.O. landing. Tens of thousands of people from all over
the world have converged on the small village of Chuluota quickly
overloading the communication systems, roadways, resources and
available agencies. Seminole County ARES/RACES has been called upon
to assist in the observation and communications effort. 0910 EDT
sitrep: Eight operators have been assigned to the area to report
conditions. We will keep you informed." -- Dick Fess, K4FUY, AEC
Operations, Seminole County ARES/RACES
+ LETTERS: ICS 213
I notice discussions of the ICS 213 message form and how to use it in
reference to ARRL message forms per traffic nets. As medical folks we
need to bring to the attention of hams that right now there is a HICS
213 in use for hospitals. That adds an additional twist for hams
assisting hospitals.
I find the HICS 213 not a good design for internal or external
traffic and have discussed this with a member of the HICS board that
reviews the new HICS. I was quite surprised that the two forms are so
different considering the attempt to make HICS NIMS compliant. Would
have thought they would have looked at the ICS 213 as an example. --
April Moell, WA6OPS, Hospital Disaster Support Communications System
(HDSCS), Orange County, California <emcom4hosp@aol.com&gt;,
<http://www.hdscs.org/>
+ LETTERS: Reports in the E-Letter
When reading emergency response reports in the ARES E-Letter, I
always find it most helpful when the reporters give details about
what they did, rather than details about what the storm did. For
example, I'd like to know how the hams were activated; how they
interacted with the served agencies; the exact nature of their
activities (stand-by only/supplementary comms/primary comms/health &
welfare); what methods they used to pass traffic (HF/UHF/VHF,
repeater/simplex, voice/digital, message recording techniques, NTS);
volunteer management; equipment used; and of course what worked and
what didn't.
For those of us who prepare and rarely get called, it is useful to
hear the specifics of actual response activities. It gives us a
better sense of how best to prepare. -- Ralph Milnes, KC2RLM
+ LETTERS: SATERN in Southwest Missouri
I feel ARES has one problem: It is still ruled by old men who do not
welcome change or young people into their fold. I have seen many
young folks in this area get a license, practically burn the radio
down, and disappear into the woodwork. They were not given a
challenge, nor a job to do. These young people should have been made
a Net Control, Net Manager, or given some other opportunity to serve.
They want responsibility. So what if they make a mistake and didn't
do something right: all the more reason for increasing training
opportunities.
I, along with others, have started a Missouri SATERN net. We meet
weekly on HF, and as a result have one group in an area to the
southwest of St. Louis that has started their own VHF net. Our goal
is to have active SATERN members in every county, and so far the
mission is gaining momentum.
Our neighbors in Oklahoma and Arkansas have active SATERN nets also
on HF and VHF, and participate in the daily SATERN net on 20 meters.
We have received support from the Salvation Army higher-ups, and are
working with them to get a designated community shelter set up in
this area. We are in a heavily used tourist area here in southwest
Missouri. -- Dave Rust,W0DLR
[Editor's note: The SATERN Net (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio
Network) provides emergency communication support to the Salvation
Army and populations at large, during disasters. They hold high
profile nets on twenty meters during major incidents, and have a long
history of excellence, discipline and service. SATERN members handle
traffic in tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, fires, aircraft accidents,
bombings, earthquakes, and more. - SATERN Web site
<http://www.satern.org/>].
+ Current ARES-Recommended Training Courses
In addition to the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses, ARES field
operators should also complete the following formal training courses:
* Red Cross combined course in Adult CPR/First Aid Basics
* Red Cross online Introduction to Disaster Services
<http://www.redcross.org/flash/course01_v01/>
* FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to Incident Command System)
* FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents)
* FEMA IS-700 (National Incident Management System)
<http://training.fema.gov/IS/>
Except for the first two, the courses are free of charge, and
CPR/First Aid may be free to members of the Red Cross. CPR/First Aid
is the only course that requires periodic refreshers and the only
course that must be taken in person rather than on the Internet.
Where FEMA courses exist in more than one current version - aimed at
somewhat different audiences - any of the currently-available
versions will suffice. - ARRL National Emergency Response Planning
Committee Recommendations, January 2007
+ QUICK LINKS: Essential Web sites for Every EmComm Op
General ARES information: <http://www.arrl.org/ares>
EMCOMM Resources: <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/emergency/>
Public Service resources:
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/pubservice.html>
ARES E-Letter Archives: <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/>
Public Relations: <http://www.emergency-radio.org/>
Training:
ARRL training courses: <http://www.arrl.org/cce>
Red Cross training courses:
<http://www.redcross.org/flash/course01_v01/>
FEMA training courses: <http://training.fema.gov/IS/>
FEMA National Incident Management System:
<http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm>
International:
IARU Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru.org/emergency/>
IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru-r2emcor.net/>
Major Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Nets:
Hurricane Watch Net: <http://www.hwn.org/>
Maritime Mobile Service Net: <http://www.mmsn.org/>
Salvation Army (SATERN) Net: <http://www.satern.org/>
Waterway Net: <http://www.waterwayradio.net/>
VoIP SKYWARN/Hurricane Net: <http://www.voipwx.net/>
ARRL/Served Agency Memoranda of Understanding:
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/>
National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster:
<http://www.nvoad.org/>
American Red Cross: <http://www.redcross.org/>
National Weather Service: <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/>
Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps, FEMA:
<http://www.citizencorps.gov/>, <http://www.dhs.gov/>,
<http://www.fema.gov/>
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials- International:
<http://www.apcointl.org/>
National Communications System: <http://www.ncs.gov/>
National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers, Inc.:
<http://www.narte.org/>
Salvation Army: <http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf>
Society of Broadcast Engineers: <http://www.sbe.org/>
Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. <http://www.QCWA.org/>
Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams:
<http://www.reactintl.org/>
SKYWARN: <http://www.skywarn.org/>
+ K1CE For A Final
I hope that your SETs all went well. It was interesting to note
Dennis Dura's comments about possible changes to the SET format and
scheduling. If you have ideas on how to change the program for the
better, please send them to me, and I will report some of them in the
next issue. They will all be shared with Dennis and his staff at ARRL
HQ.
Happy Halloween! (I'll be wearing my scary old ARES vest at the
costume ball this year). 73, Rick K1CE